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Michigan working with President Trump and Congress to move Soo Locks upgrade forward

White House formally notified of Michigan’s $50 million commitment

Monday, June 18, 2018

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan has formally pledged its $50 million commitment to upgrading the Soo Locks in a letter sent last Friday to President Trump.

“Congress approved construction of an additional 1,000-foot lock in 1986 but we have been waiting for funding to make the project a reality ever since,” Snyder said. “We appreciate President Trump’s commitment to this critical infrastructure project and will continue working with the White House and Congress to move it forward.”

The letter, jointly authored by Gov. Rick Snyder, Lt. Governor Brian Calley, Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof and House Speaker Tom Leonard, stresses the urgency of upgrading the Soo Locks and the risks to the regional and national economy if the locks were to unexpectedly shut down. This includes devastating impacts to our steel and manufacturing industries and up to 11 million American jobs could be lost in the event of an unexpected lock closure.

“Upgrading the Soo Locks is a top priority for us so we have put our money where our mouth is and proactively committed $50 million to leverage non-federal funds and jumpstart this project,” Calley said. “We are committed to working with President Trump, Congress and other states to ensure this project moves forward as soon as possible.”

The plan to commit $50 million toward the project was first announced during the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island last month.

Since President Trump announced his commitment to upgrading the Soo Locks during a visit to Michigan in April, the state launched a public awareness campaign and has been building a coalition of supporters to help make the project a reality. For more information on the effort or to read the full letter to President Trump, visit www.michigan.gov/fixthesoolocks.